Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. A method performed by a consumable-product distribution system comprising: generating, by a meter, a time-sequence of data by measuring over a time-interval a series of loads; measuring, with a meter of a consumable-product distribution system, a value of a consumable product supplied through the consumable-product distribution system to a facility, wherein the measured value comprises a second time-sequence of data of the facility's access to the consumable product, and wherein the consumable-product distribution system connects a plurality of loads in the facility to the consumable product; transmitting, by the meter of the consumable-product distribution system to a processor of the consumable-product distribution system, the measured value of the consumable product supplied through the consumable-product distribution system to the facility; retrieving, by the processor of the consumable-product distribution system, a plurality of load signatures from a database of the consumable-product distribution system, each load signature comprising a time-sequence of data of a corresponding load's access to the consumable product; comparing, by a-the processor of the consumable-product distribution system, the time-sequence of data of each of the plurality of load signatures to the second time-sequence of data of the measured value; and determining, by the processor of the consumable-product distribution system, an amount of the consumable product accessed by a first load of the plurality of loads based on the comparing.
A system for tracking energy usage in a building analyzes data from a main meter that measures the building's total energy consumption over time. The system has a database containing energy consumption profiles ("signatures") for individual devices/loads (e.g., appliances, machines, lighting). It compares the building's total consumption data against these individual load signatures to estimate how much energy each load is using. The system determines energy accessed by a specific load by comparing the measured total energy use against stored historical energy signatures for each of the loads connected to the same energy source. The system then calculates the amount of energy consumed by that specific load.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processor of the consumable-product distribution system determines the amount of the consumable product accessed by the first load using an artificial intelligence process.
The system for tracking energy usage uses artificial intelligence (AI) to determine the amount of energy consumed by individual loads. This AI process analyzes the measured total building energy consumption, along with the energy signatures of individual devices, to more accurately estimate each device's energy usage. The AI, instead of a simple comparison, determines the energy used by a specific load.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising: generating, by the processor of the consumable-product distribution system, a customized report of the access to the consumable product by the first load over a fixed duration.
In addition to determining energy usage, the system generates a custom report on energy consumed by a particular load over a set time period. The system measures overall energy consumption, compares it to known load "signatures" (consumption patterns for individual devices), calculates the individual device's consumption, and creates a report showing how much energy that specific device used during the specified duration.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising: determining, by the processor of the consumable-product distribution system, a cost for the access to the consumable product by the first load over a fixed duration; and generating, by the processor of the consumable-product distribution system, a report including the cost.
This invention describes a method for a consumable-product distribution system to track and report individual load consumption and associated costs within a facility. First, a meter in the system measures the total amount of a consumable product (such as electrical power or a public utility) supplied to a facility over a time interval. This measurement generates a time-sequence of data representing the facility's overall access to the product, which supplies multiple connected loads (e.g., HVAC components, lighting). This measured facility consumption data is then transmitted from the meter to a processor within the distribution system. The processor retrieves a plurality of pre-stored "load signatures" from a database. Each load signature represents a typical time-sequence of data for a specific load's access to the consumable product. The processor compares the overall facility consumption data with these individual load signatures to identify and determine the specific amount of the consumable product accessed by an individual "first load" within the facility. Based on this, the processor calculates the financial cost for the consumable product accessed by this "first load" over a specified fixed duration. Finally, the processor generates a report that includes this calculated cost, providing a detailed breakdown of consumption expenditures for specific loads. ERROR (embedding): Error: Failed to save embedding: Could not find the 'embedding' column of 'patent_claims' in the schema cache
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the consumable product is a public electrical power utility and the cost is based on tiered utility rates over the fixed duration.
When the energy source is a public electrical power utility, the cost calculation uses tiered utility rates. The system first determines the energy consumed by a specific load during a defined time period. Next, the system applies the tiered pricing structure of the electrical power utility, where the cost per unit of energy varies based on the total amount consumed. The report then shows the energy usage cost.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the consumable product is electrical power and the plurality of loads are electrical loads.
The consumable product the system analyzes is electrical power, and the individual loads are electrical loads within the facility. The system measures the building's total electrical power consumption, compares it to known consumption patterns of individual electrical loads (e.g., appliances, lighting), determines the amount of electrical power consumed by each load, and may provide cost analysis.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the consumable product is a public utility.
The consumable product being measured and analyzed by the system is a public utility service (e.g., electricity, gas, water). The system measures the overall consumption of the utility, compares it to consumption profiles for individual components or users, and determines the amount used by each.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of loads include at least one of HVAC components and facility lighting.
The loads being analyzed by the system include HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) components and facility lighting. The system monitors total energy usage and breaks it down to determine the energy consumption of the HVAC system and the lighting system.
9. The method of claim 1 further comprising: receiving, by the processor of the consumable-product distribution system, an operating condition of the first load, wherein the determining, by the processor of the consumable-product distribution system, the amount of the consumable product accessed by the first load is further based on the operating condition.
The system also receives data about the operating condition of a particular load, and uses this information when determining the load's energy consumption. For example, if a device's operating status changes (e.g., the fan speed), it factors that into determining power consumption. The energy used by a specific load is determined by comparing total energy used with other load signatures and the operating condition of the load.
10. The method of claim 9 further comprising: retrieving, by the processor of the consumable-product distribution system, the operating condition from the database.
The operating condition of the load is retrieved from the database, along with the load's energy signature. The system checks the database to retrieve what operating condition the first load is in at the time of measuring total energy consumption.
11. The method of claim 9 further comprising: receiving, by the processor of the consumable-product distribution system, the operating condition as a second measured value from the facility.
The operating condition of the load is received as a separate measured value from the facility. Rather than retrieving the operating condition from a database, the system receives real-time sensor data indicating the current status of the load (e.g., temperature setting, on/off state).
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the operating condition includes, for a portion of the facility, one of a load factor, an area square footage, and an insulation factor.
The operating condition of the load includes parameters such as a load factor, the area's square footage, or the insulation factor of a portion of the building that the load is servicing. The system uses these parameters, in addition to energy usage data and load signatures, to estimate the energy consumption of the specific load.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the operating condition includes a measured count of persons within a portion of the facility.
The operating condition is a count of people within a specific area of the facility. This information is used to better estimate the energy consumed by loads within that area, such as lighting and HVAC. The system determines the amount of energy consumed by a specific load by factoring in the number of occupants in a specified zone.
14. The method of claim 13 further comprising: autonomously counting, by a sensor of the consumable-product distribution system, the persons within the portion of the facility; generating, by the sensor of the consumable-product distribution system, the measured count; and transmitting, by the sensor of the consumable-product distribution system, the measured count to the processor.
The system autonomously counts people using a sensor and sends this count to the processor. The occupancy of a space is monitored by a local sensor, then sent to the processor, which uses this information in conjunction with total energy consumption and load signatures to calculate the energy usage of specific loads.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the operating condition further includes a time interval of when the persons are in the portion of the facility.
The operating condition includes the time interval during which people are present in a portion of the facility. The energy consumption is not only affected by the amount of people but also how long the people are there.
16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the operating condition includes a temperature outside of the facility.
The operating condition includes the temperature outside of the facility. The outside temperature impacts HVAC load, and this is factored into the energy analysis.
17. The method of claim 1 further comprising: requesting, by the processor of the consumable-product distribution system, the measured value from the meter of the consumable-product distribution system at the facility, wherein the processor of the consumable-product distribution system is located remotely from the facility.
The system requests the energy usage data from the meter, with the processor located remotely from the facility. This allows for centralized energy monitoring and analysis of multiple facilities. The system sends a signal to the meter to request and receive current energy consumption data.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measured value is transmitted by the meter of the consumable-product distribution system to the processor of the consumable-product distribution system through a wireless communication network.
The energy usage data is transmitted wirelessly from the meter to the processor, using a wireless communication network. This eliminates the need for physical connections between the meter and the processing system.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the amount of the consumable product accessed by the first load is a negative quantity representing an amount of the consumable product produced by the first load.
The amount of energy accessed by a load can be a negative value, which represents the energy produced by the load (e.g., a solar panel generating electricity). The system tracks not only consumption, but also any energy generation from sources within the facility.
20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the amount of the consumable product accessed by the first load of the plurality of loads based on the comparing comprises determining the amount of the consumable product accessed by the first load in real time.
The determination of energy consumption is done in real time. The system continuously analyzes the incoming energy data and load signatures to provide up-to-date information on energy usage patterns.
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September 23, 2014
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